Tag.



F. W. SUYDAM.

TAG.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31. I917.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

FRANK W. SUYDAM, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TAG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 31, 1917. Serial No. 158,951.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. SUYDAM, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tags, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a reinforcing device for shipping tags and the like, and the principal object sought to be attained thereby is to provide a metallic reinforcement of simple design, maximum efliciency, and small cost.

A more detailed object is to provide a reinforcing member comprising a portion adapted to extend through the usual aperture in the shipping tag, for immediately reinforcing said aperture and serving to aid in the attachment of the reinforcing memher to the tag, said portion providing a smooth and unbroken surface within and adjacent the aperture for engagement by an attaching cord.

A further object is to provide means for attaching a metallic reinforcing member to a tag, such that said member is more firmly secured thereto than as by means heretofore provided.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification and in which I have shown merely a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of portion of a shipping tag illustrating the reinforcing device applied thereto, the tag being shown tied to a parcel as in use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the upper portion of the tag.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: is a plan view of the blank employed in the production of the reinforcing device.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but illustrating a modification; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating the blank employed for producing the reinforcing device shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of the structure illustrated therein, the reference character A illustrates the shipping tag generally. This is of the ordinary, or any preferred, formation and comprises usually a rectangular sheet of tough, flexible cardboard, usually having its upper corners cut away for a better appearance.

The reference character B indicates an aperture formed through the material of the tag.

The reference character 0 indicates generally the reinforcing member or eyelet.

The plate or blank as shown in Fig. l. is preferably formed of tin or other suitable thin bendable material. A series of tangs 1 are struck therefrom intermediate the central portion and the periphery, said tangs being preferably spaced equi-distant circumferentially 0f the blank. There may be as many as desired of these tangs although t is a suitable number, and each is preferably sharpened at its outer end so as to easily puncture the material of the tag when being attached thereto.

Each of the tangs is preferably triangular, being severed from the blank or plate along two sides only. The unsevered side provides a line of bend along which the tang is bent laterally, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. f so as to stand in a position ready to be thrust through the material of the tag. The unsevered sides are arranged substantially parallel to the periphery of the blank and the severed sides converge toward the center as illustrated.

In completing the device, prior to attachment, the material immediately surrounding the aperture 2 is pressed or drawn backwardly to form a tubular extension 3 integral with the blank, said extension being of a diameter to fit snugly within the aperture B of the tag.

In attaching the device, the tubular portion 3 is inserted through the aperture B and the tangs 1 are forced through the material of the tag. The projecting end of the portion 3 is flanged or bent over upon the reverse surface of the tag.

The projecting portions of the tangs are bent over upon the material of the tag so that the extreme ends 4 thereof, which have been previously bent, are caused to embed themselves or bite into the material of the tag as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

If desired the end of the tubular portion 3 which is bent over into engagement with the tag may be caused to bite into the material of the tag as shown or it may simply be bent to rest flat upon the surface of the tag, according as necessity indicates.

It will be noted that the tangs each bend outwardly away from the central portion of the reinforcing device, but that the outer ends of the tangs do not project beyond the Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

plane of the periphery of the plate. This arrangement adds materially to the strength of the grip of the tangs upon the tag for the reason that it disposes the extreme outer ends of the tangs into biting engagement with a portion of the tag which is backed upon its opposite surface by the plate. The biting edge or end of the tang squeezes tightly toward the plate and cooperates with the plate to provide a positive clamp upon the ta The material of the tag underlying the ma jor portion of the tang and between said portion and the plate at the opposite surface of the tag, is likewise clamped. The grip in the latter instance is improved by the squeezing action imparted thereto by the bite of the end of the tang. I

By way of comparison, attention may be here directed to the fact that if the tang should be bent inwardly toward the center of the reinforcing device rather than outwardly as above described, then it would, of course, overlie the aperture formed in the plate by the production of the tang. The bending operation would tend to shear, and in many instances actually would partly out out a small triangular piece of the tag. Moreover, the bite of the extreme end of the tang would be weak in that no support would be present at the opposite side of the tag. The clamping action above described would be entirely lacking not only at the extreme end, but also beneath the major portion of the tang.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the central part is identical with that already described. The tangs, however, are formed by bending up the corners of the blank or plate, the blank being made rectangular in this instance. Since no apertures are formed in the plate by the production of these tangs, and since for this reason there is no tendency to shear or cut the ma terial of the tag when the tangs are bent over. it is preferable to bend the tangs inwardly toward the center so as to secure the strong grip and clamping action above set forth.

The extreme ends of the tangs in this modification are turned so as to bite into the material of the tag in the same manner as in the o her views.

It will be understood that in both structures the tubular portion 3 comprises a cord attaching means as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the following claims; it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted. as illustrative only and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-, ters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described formed of a plate disposed to lie flat upon the surface of a tag or the like and having a central tubular projection extending through the material of the tag, the combination therewith of a plurality of laterally extending tangs struck from the material of the plate at a point spaced from the marginal edge of the plate, said tangs being thrust through the material of the ta g, the projecting portions of said tangs being bent over upon the opposite surface of the tag, and

the direction of the bend being away from the openings formed through the plate by the production of said tangs.

2. In a device of the class described formed of a plate disposed to lie flat upon one surface of a tag or the like and having a tubular projection extending through the material of the tag, the combination therewith of a plurality of laterally extending tan gs formed thereon thrust through the material of the tag and bent over upon the opposite surface of the tag, said tangs being triangular in shape and being struck from the material of the plate leaving one edge of the triangle connected to the plate, said edge being nearest the periphery of the plate and the remaining two edges converging toward the center of the plate, and the direction of bend of that portion of the tang which engages the opposite surface of the tag being outwardly away from the central portion of the plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK W. SUYDAM.

Witnesses:

EMMA TVEINBERG, HELEN CAREY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Ifiatents,

Washington, I). O. 

